Keeping Major Gifts Up in a Down Economy

1. KEEP UP YOUR ANNUAL FUND. Studies show that a vast majority of nonprofits with successful major-gifts programs also have strong annual-giving efforts. After all, major-gifts donors usually have a long history of annual giving before they move up.

2. DON’T OVERLOOK MID-LEVEL MAJOR GIFTS. Donors start to think of themselves as major givers when they’re writing checks for $500 to $1,000. It’s rare for donors to make the leap from substantial annual-fund gifts directly to the $5,000 or $10,000 level that many organizations now define as major gifts. So donors who feel they’re making sacrificial gifts often aren’t getting the attention they deserve. Single out your top-level annual-fund givers for special attention with volunteer opportunities and event invitations, and set your major-gift threshold at the point where experience shows that your donors need cultivation to move up to the next step.